Explosion rocks gurudwara in Germany; 3 injured

World News

Sun, 17 Apr 2016

PTI

Berlin: A Sikh priest was among three persons injured when an explosion ripped through a gurudwara in Germany's western city of Essen as India today expressed "distress" at what is being deemed as a deliberate act.

Eyewitnesses have spoken of "a kind of bomb" that exploded at the entrance of Nanaksar Satsang Darbar Gurdwara around 7 pm local time yesterday where a wedding had taken place.

About 200 people, including many children, were present at the wedding that began very late and was ongoing when the explosion occurred, the Bild newspaper reported quoting an eyewitness.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who is in Iran, said she has asked the Ambassador of India to Germany, Gurjit Singh, to take up the incident at the "highest level".

"I have asked @AmbGurjitSingh to take this up at highest level with German authorities and convey our deep concern," she tweeted.

Reacting to the incident, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the Indian mission here is following it up with German authorities.

"Distressed to hear of an explosion in a gurudwara in Essen in Germany. Our Mission is following up with local authorities on ground situation," he said.

Consulate General of India in Frankfurt, on its Twitter handle, said that a team from the consulate led by Raveesh Kumar, the Consul General, is on his way to Essen to visit the gurudwara to meet with the injured and discuss the situation with city police.

Singh said German police are investigating various angles after the blast and that authorities at the mission are in touch with those at the federal and local level.